Ronin Reborn
by Rem di Luna
Summary: What if Naste did not survive the attack on Tokyo? What if there were others who escaped the collection for the underworld? What if they knew more of the story? What if they were the key to success and failure? This is for creative writing purposes.
1. Chapter 1

Ronins Reborn

By: Eddi McCandry aka Kay-Bee

Episode 1: Start

SMACK! WAM!

The sound of flesh hitting flesh filled space of the Izanagi family's traditional styled dojo.

BAM! WHACK!

A flurry of limbs and digits, belonging to the two white clothed slim figures, was seen as they battled for dominance. Yells from the combatants peppered the physical declarations of a successful hit to the opponent's body. A loud thud of a body hitting the pliable matted floor was followed by another triumphant shout and a sudden suffocating silence.

The two figures' chests heaved in rapid short breathes, bodies and clothing bathed in sweat as the victor kneeled above the other. The dark-haired kneeling figure slowly stood, while lending a hand to her equally dark-haired sparring partner. Once facing each other, the two bowed in the traditional show of respect and then began to clean up.

As they worked, sound returned to the compound. Picking up and replacing discarded weapons and equipment, the victor turned towards the other.

"You haven't been practicing much, have you, Kells? Your movements were a little stiff. You know grandfather would not be happy that you have lapsed in perfecting your skills."

The other, in her task of storing equipment, replied, "You would've kicked my ass earlier if you weren't distracted."

"Bite me. I have been busy running the dojo and I've been doing some shrine maiden duties in Yoko's stead."

Kelly sighed again. "I didn't get much time for practice with the way American high schools are run. Why do you think I returned home to attend university, beside the fact I missed you and the rest of the family." She sighed. "Ever since our parents got divorced and okaa-san decided to move back to America with me in tow, she was constantly trying to forget about our family here. Plus, she has been attempting to turn me into a typical American teenager along with that ill-mannered husband of hers."

The girl's face distorted in anger and frustration. "She doesn't understand the important of our family heritage and the love and respect I have for our father, onee-san."

The other growled at her sibling. "Don't call me onee-san," she stated with a displeased pout on her face. "Makes me feel old."

Kelly slightly smiled at her sister's response. As they finished cleaning up and gathered their things to leave, she replied, "You are only older by five minutes, Ren."

Ren scowled back. "Five minutes too old."

The other sighed but held a soft smile on her face. She turned back to face Ren. "So we are still on for our afternoon shopping spree?" the brunette asked her sister walking to their part of the family compound.

"Yeah. We'll stop for lunch first though." Ren glanced at Kelly with a thoughtful look. "Is Ban-kun going with us?"

"Yeah. He said to call him and tell him where we should meet."

The siblings reached their rooms. "God, I need a shower."

Kelly smiled. "Yeah, we both stink to high heaven. Meet you at the gate in an hour."

Ren nodded. "Yeah. Meet you in an hour."

The sisters went their separate ways and prepared for what they hoped would be a fun and relaxing afternoon.

--

After a hellish drive (especially with a speed demon like Ren behind the wheel), Ren and Kelly found themselves meeting their childhood friend and pseudo-aniki, Ban Izanagi. Ban was a year older as well as several inches taller than the girls though not necessarily was he stronger. He was also very popular with the ladies because of his yellow blond hair and baby blue eyes. This would explain why the boy was enclosed in an army of starry-eyed girls, a scene that the sisters found upon their arrival.

Ren crossed her arms in exasperation. "Oi! We're not for even here for 5 seconds and the playboy prince-ling is already out to play."

Kelly snickered. It was true that the boy was somewhat of a pervert; however, the guy was usually smart enough to leave the sisters alone. Ban was also a distant cousin and since there were no older sons in the main branch of the Izanagi family, the boy took it upon himself to be their protector. That did not mean the guy was intelligent enough to stop teasing Kelly. His normal antics usually lead to numerous bruises and injuries. Kelly would have made a passing remark to Ren's comment, but she was already striving to make her way to the center of the mob.

"Excuse me." Elbows to vital organs.

"Sorry." Palms shoved into surprised faces.

"Pardon me." Shoulders slammed into shoulders, backs, ribcages, and breasts.

"Make way. Coming through."

Kelly threw her body forward as a 120-pound flesh and bone battering ram. Desperately fighting and clawing through the jungle of female bodies, the small brunette, bearing the signs of her valiant struggle, managed to break through. She grabbed the still clueless and self-absorbed teen by his wrist. At the touch of a familiar friend, Ban turned to meet the disheveled teenager. Smiling at her "cute" pouting and angry face, the guy ignored his common sense and attacked the girl.

GLOMP!

"Kells-chan, my love. Your beautiful, radiant face has cheered me from sweet endless sorrow!"

Tick marks appeared on the girl's forehead. A rumbling, growling sound was heard from the small girl. Regardless to the warning signs, Ban continued his tactics.

"Oh, golden goddess of my heart! Have you finally realized your undying lover for me? You have battled through endless evil to reach me in proof of your consuming feelings. Allow me to grant you a kiss in reward."

Many of the surrounding girls sighed with hearts in their eyes. Some had death in their eyes towards the one about to receive the desired kiss from the blond prince.

"BAKA!"

A fist flew through the air…

BAM!

…and connected with the blonde's face and body. The impact of Kelly's fury was seen as the boy and his vapid female posse was sent flying from the force of the blow. Stomping, the angry chibi made her way to the pathetic moaning figure of her childhood friend. The pained groans did little to appease her still sour mood.

Grabbing the collar of the battered and bruised Ban's shirt, the small brunette returned to Ren's side, dragging the young man behind her with no respect to his 'princely' reputation.

"I got the perverted frog prince," Kelly commented to her twin. Dumping the damaged boy at her sister's feet, she walked pass the two, heading in the direction of the group's favorite eating spot. "Saving the world and my virginity has given me an appetite."

"Kel-ly-ch-an," was followed by hearty female laughter.


	2. Chapter 2

Ronins Reborn

Ronins Reborn

By: Eddi McCandry aka Kay-Bee

Episode 2: Brief Meeting

The two figures observed, with growing feelings of helplessness, at the mass chaos taking place below. Turning to her companion, she spoke with panic and confusion evident in her voice.

"Ren, what the hell is going on? Why is this happening?"

Ren shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. "I don't know lil' sis. I don't know." The girl pulled her sister close in the hope that physical contact would help ease some of the uncertainty. Both looked back and thought on the how the current predicament came to be.

"Come on, Ban-kun," pleaded the brunette as she dragged the bag-burdened boy behind her. With pleading puppy eyes, she continued, "Please, Ban-kun. You promised me some ice cream if I got you that blonde's phone number.

With an exasperated sigh and rubbing his face in annoyance, he replied, "Okay, okay. You win. Just stop with the evil cutesy eyes!"

"Yatta!" Kelly jumped for joy.

Another sigh. "Come on."

Readjusting his hold on the numerous shopping bags, Ban grabbed the hyperactive and active teenager by her shirtsleeve. They had not gone two feet when the two noticed that Ren was not behind them. Turning to see what was holding up the older brunette, she appeared to be caught in a trance with crowd swarming pass her. There were some people stopping and staring in the same direction. Following Ren's and the other observers' line of sight, both teens were startled at the strange sight before them. However, Ren did not stay in her self-inducted coma for long. A look of extreme pleasure and happiness broke out on the girl's face along with a squeal of delight.

"Kitty!"

The girl was gone in a flash. Kelly and Ban turned to the other, shrugged, and then sighed in exasperation and frustration while throwing their hands in the air as if they were washing themselves of the anomaly known as Ren Izanagi. The two were startled again at the even more bizarre sight before them.

Ren was glomping and caressing a tiger. The girl was freaking hugging a HUGE WHITE TIGER!

"KITTY!"

Turning to her cousin, shock and confusion not far behind, queried, "When did they make white tigers legal?"

Ban, in shock himself, shrugged his shoulders. "I have NO freaking idea!"

Then it hit both teens the dangerous position the girl was in and immediately reacted.

"Ren, you baka. You are glomping a tiger! Tiger equals sharp claws and teeth!"

"Get away before you get dismembered, Ren-chan! You are asking for trouble."

Running to the other girl's side in hopes of saving her from a premature death at huge kitty claws and teeth, the two were again startled as the scene went from bizarre to plain creepy. The tiger was not only _purring_ from the older girl's attention, but sloppily giving Ren _loving, gentle_ "kitty" kisses. When Ban approached and quickly tugged Ren's right arm causing her to pause briefly in her affection to the beast, said creature growled and hissed expressing his displeasure.

Lightly tugging on the twin's shirtsleeve as to not attract any further attention from the tiger, Ban whispered, "Come on, Ren-chan, we have to go."

The snow-colored tiger, hearing the young man and experiencing the loss of Ren's gentle care, instantly tensed and swiftly turned its attention to what he assumed was a threat to his new friend.

GROWL!

Ban immediately dropped Ren's arm and stared at the angered beast. Ban felt the rush of adrenaline flowing through his body as he tense in the decision of "fight or flight," with the latter being the most likely. Both girls were experiencing the same tension. It was no surprise then when all three jumped in surprise at the arrival of new player.

"There you are White Blaze."

Now while previously oblivious to the actions taking place around her, at the sudden appearance of a strong masculine voice Ren looked up to see to whom the incredibly cool tiger belonged. The sight that greeted her was one of a young teen boy. Shoulder-length silky black hair with a slight wave, perfect baby blue eyes that sparkled, and a well-toned body covered by a long-sleeved yellow and light blue t-shirt and dark blue jeans. The vision of perfection left Ren dumbfounded and near speechless as her response demonstrated.

"Kitty?"

The young man's eyebrows rose in astonishment, but an amused smile spread across his face. "No, I'm Sanada Ryo. Pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Kelly immediately stepped forward with her twin sister still entranced by the bishounen. "Nice to meet you, Sanada-san. I'm Izanagi Kelly. The guy next to me is Izanagi Ban."

Kelly and Ban respectfully bowed in greeting. Ren was still staring bright eyed at the young man; make that the _sexy_ young man, before her. Pain brought her back from her daydreams.

"OW!"

Rubbing her behind with one hand and scratching her head with the other, Ren sheepishly smiled and bowed. "Gomen nasai for my lack of attention, Sanada-san. I am Izanagi-san's sister, Izanagi Ren.

As he petted the white tiger, which at the start of the inductions had moved the guy's side, Ryo bowed in return. "No need to apologize, Izanagi-san."

The usually strong girl blushed and replied, "Please, call me Ren, Sanada-san."

A responding blush appeared on the guy's face. "Then I must ask you to call me Ryo in return, Ren-san."

The two remaining bystanders shook their heads, rolled their eyes, and quietly mocked and parodied the lovesick scene taking place in front of them. However, the fun did not last long.

Within minutes what once had been clear blue sky was dark with inky black clouds. Sharp winds blew causing a few to stumble and lose their footing. Ren, feeling the impending pressure of something malicious, grabbed Kelly and Ban pulling them into the nearby office building. The need to reach safety pushed everything from the girl's mind. The sudden unnatural workings had not concluded as booming thunder sounded hinted with evil laughter.

People were flowing out into the street. Panic rising at the chaos surrounding them, Kelly yelled to her twin over the din. "Ren-chan, what the hell is going on? What is this presence?"

Ren just gripped tighter to her sister's hand. She feared being separated from the two as she skillfully and slowly maneuvered to the empty staircase. Like Kelly had had to battle her way through a crowd of obnoxious fan girls, so did Ban as he fought to keep hold of his younger cousin's hand and avoid being swept away in the rushing crowd. However, it is harder to fight an ocean current than a still water.

Finally, Ren managed to reach the entrance of the empty stairway and fortified herself and her smaller sister against the wall from the danger of the tumult masses. But it was not soon enough for Ban as the rapid and crushing force of the descending wave of human bodies broke the lifeline between the cousins. A few desperate grasps before their cries were voiced against the undesired reality.

"KELLY!" Ban exclaimed with hands outreached for aid as he rapidly disappeared with the fleeing crowd.

"NO! BAN!" The brunette struggled against Ren with a hand out stretched like she could magically rescue their blond-haired cousin. As the building emptied and Ban vanished from sight, Kelly yielded to her sister's hold and broke into sobs. A strong, gripping ache filled her heart as she slid to the tile below.

"Ban…"

Ren was worried about their cousin and her heart went out to her sister, but she knew that standing there and sobbing was not doing any good. Pulling her distressed sibling off the floor, both girls headed up the stairs.

"Come on, Kell-chan. If we hurry to the roof we can see if we can spot Ban as well as see what is happening out there."

The two sisters flew up the many flights as the ground shaking, booming thunder, screams, and malevolent voice grew closer with the violent slam of the roof door signifying the duo's arrival.


End file.
